Mesothelioma is a very rare cancer, yet it is frequently diagnosed in workers in asbestos-producing industries. This is because asbestos is used heavily in industries that have been exposed to the hazardous material for many years.
Mesothelioma Symptoms
There are many different types of Mesothelioma and the disease itself is not likely to manifest itself at any one time. In fact, Mesothelioma Symptoms typically develop slowly over time. The first set of symptoms can take years to develop and may not show up immediately.
Mesothelioma Causes
Mesothelioma Causes can vary widely. The most common cause of Mesothelioma is exposure to asbestos. Another main cause is exposure to silica, another mineral that is often used in products that contain asbestos, such as clothing, roofing shingles, windows, water heaters, and an increasing number of other products.
Asbestos
Because many people have come to believe that mesothelioma is caused by asbestos exposure, the focus has been on regulating the use of asbestos. However, there is no evidence that these regulations have prevented the actual incidence of Mesothelioma or the ability of this cancer to develop. As a result, many people in the asbestos industry are concerned about the effect of these new regulations.
Mesothelioma Diagnoses
In recent decades, lung cancer has dramatically increased and mesothelioma has been the second most common form of cancer diagnosed. However, mesothelioma diagnoses have been increasing significantly since before World War II. Because of this, many people, even doctors, believe that the increase in lung cancer diagnoses is a result of increased exposure to asbestos.
Of all the Mesothelioma Causes, the most obvious one is asbestos exposure. The other major cause is Silica exposure. Many other causes have been studied, but the effects of these two elements are still largely unknown.
Despite the number of Mesothelioma Causes, very little research has been done in recent years to study the effects of these substances. Because of this, we don’t know much about their effects on the human body. For example, studies have shown that the symptoms of mesothelioma can be very similar to those of other diseases.
While there is still much that is unknown about mesothelioma, additional mesothelioma diagnoses will occur in the future. In fact, every year, there are hundreds of people diagnosed with this deadly disease. One of the major concerns is the fact that an increasing number of people will develop Mesothelioma in their mid-forties.
To date, there are three main risk factors for Mesothelioma. These are: Gender, Age, and Occupation. While none of these factors is necessarily true for every individual, they all do exist.
Gender is the first factor. Most studies indicate that women are more likely to develop mesothelioma than men. If you are a woman, you are probably wondering if your boss will find out about your work-related exposure to asbestos. This is something that will affect you in a number of ways, including your ability to get employment in the future.
Mesothelioma Life Expectancy
Age is the second factor. Most people are at increased risk for developing Mesothelioma if they are over 40 years old. That is because this age group has more years of accumulated exposure to asbestos and it has been demonstrated that this is one of the most important risk factors for developing Mesothelioma. Occupation is the third factor. Workers who have worked with asbestos may have a longer life expectancy than others. However, workers in industries that do not use asbestos may not have as long a life expectancy.
